Research


Scope and Content Note

This series consists of accounts of revenues and expenditures recorded by the Treasurer of New York Colony, 1721-1729, and tax assessment lists submitted by Superintendents of Taxes to the Treasurer of New York State, 1779-1788.

The accounts dating from the colonial period record tax revenues received and payments made by the Treasurer. Included are general accounts, accounts documenting payments made to the Treasurer on specific taxes, and accounts documenting duties collected on the Indian trade. Although the form of the documents varies, the accounts usually record the type of transaction, amount of transaction (in pounds), and date of transaction; amounts are totaled at the bottoms of pages. When a personal name is recorded, the name of the town in which the individual resides is also listed. The records cover the City of Albany as well as the following counties: Albany, Queens, Richmond, and Ulster.

The tax lists dating from the revolutionary and early statehood periods record assessments taken by Superintendents of Taxes across the state on individuals' real and/or personal estates in response to tax legislation passed in 1779, 1780, 1786, and 1788. While the form of the documents varies, each list generally provides the individual's name; value of individual's real estate, personal estate, or both; and amount of taxes (in pounds) due. The tax is totaled at the bottoms of pages and is carried over on to subsequent pages. The records document the first, second, and third wards of the City of Albany as well as the following counties: Albany, Dutchess, Montgomery, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Ulster, and Westchester.